Girl Panic! (CraneDawes)
by Miaiko-sama
Summary: Dr. Crane's breathing suddenly becomes ragged as he and the feisty Assistant D.A go about their little routine of insinuating quips down the courthouse halls. His mind reels as he diagnoses himself with every disease under the sun, fortunately Rachel Dawes knows exactly what he needs. [Crane/Dawes, Requested Oneshot]


Crane/Dawes

Story By: Miaiko-sama  
Title: Duran Duran's Girl Panic  
Idea: Dark Magical Sorcres

* * *

_With all the voices in my head._  
_The clever words I never said._  
_And you just let it happen..._

_In a girl panic._

* * *

Rachel Dawes made her way out of the courtroom after the less than honorable Judge Faden ruled in favor of the defense, having Victor Zsasz moved to Arkham Asylum after Dr. Crane's testimony. Her eyes searched the courthouse atrium filled with suits, looking for one man in particular until her eyes finally locked on one person walking briskly down the hall. Rachel moved quickly to catch up to the man.  
"Dr. Crane?" Her voice echoed almost as loudly as her footsteps against the granite tiles of the courthouse.  
"Ah, Miss Dawes." The psychiatrist's body made no attempt to slow down, keeping his pace as he spoke to the Assistant D.A.  
"Do you really think a man who butchers people for the mob doesn't belong in jail?" She asked. He had to admit he admired her determination, albeit the wrong side of the playing field.  
"I would hardly have testified to that otherwise would I, Miss Dawes?" He quipped, still walking at his regular pace. Rachel moved quickly to cut him off, obviously passionate about the subject.  
"This is the third of Carmine Falcone's thugs you've had declared insane and moved into your asylum." Rachel said with a slight amount of agitation lacing her voice. Jonathan noted how close the girl was to the operation, a twinge of unease began to creep up on the psychiatrist as he cleared his voice.  
"Well, the work offered by organized crime must have an attraction to the insane." He said almost defensively making his way toward the large wooden doors behind Rachel and brushing her aside. The brunette- refusing to let him close the door on her, turned heel and followed after the man.  
"Or the corrupt..." The woman stopped, staring ahead at the dark haired man who had been closer to the door than she had thought.  
"Dr. Crane?" She called to the psychiatrist, somewhat curious at his stance as she walked slowly toward him.  
"Dr. Crane?" Rachel called again, this time a little more anxiously after noticing that his breathing was labored and heavier than usual. Jonathan began to wheeze.  
"I'm fine." He said quickly, in an attempt to mask the stress in his voice.  
"What's wrong? Guilt finally getting to you?" She tried to make another jab at his credibility, but this time it was obvious that she was genuinely concerned with the man's health.  
"Guilt is a cognitive or emotional experience, this is obviously not anything of the sort." Jonathan said in a panic, wheezing heavier now that he had to form an actual sentence.  
"Seriously, what's wrong? Do you have asthma?" Rachel asked, putting a hand on his shoulder to steady him.  
"I don't have any history of asthmatic attacks, or Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency… My medical history-" The doctor was cut off buy hushing sounds from the brunette at his side.  
"Don't strain yourself, what do you need?" She asked calmly, rubbing his back in an attempt to sooth him. Jonathan stopped for a moment, then looked up into the woman's concerned eyes.  
"I need to get out of here."

Rachel moved him quickly to the end of the hallway, ignoring Carl Finch's confused look and focusing on getting the man outside into the fresh air. As soon as the two were in a more quiet area outside of the courthouse, Jonathan flattened himself onto the cool limestone pillar beside them- loosening his tie and breathing hurriedly. He moved to take off his jacket, but Rachel took over.  
"You'll get a cold that way. It's 30 degrees out." She said, holding onto his shoulders and commanding him to focus on mirroring her breathing patterns.  
"You're having a panic attack, all you have to do is calm-"  
"A panic attack?" He laughed almost maniacally.  
"Panic attacks are a symptom of Pheochromocytoma I could-"  
"What did I say?" Rachel chided, putting a finger over his weather chapped lips.  
"Calm." He said quietly, his brilliant mind reeling with all of the different kinds of ailments he may have.  
"I'm sorry?" She asked, noticing that he wasn't fully with her.  
"Calm." Jonathan said again, this time more coherently- making eye contact with her as he said the word.  
"Good, now here's what we're going to do. Focus on my breathing, then I'm going to get you a cup of water-"  
"Please don't leave me."  
The psychiatrist's words made her stop for a moment, nobody had ever really needed her in that kind of way before- especially someone who she had always looked upon with resentment. She stared at him for a moment, and for the first time she couldn't help but feel sorry.  
"Alright, I'm not going anywhere." She said, taking the shaking man in her arms and caressing his head as he tried his best to control his breathing. Jonathan's eyes closed, inviting the calm blackness to ease his troubled mind. Rachel's warmth, to his surprise, soothed him more than anything. He now stood buried in her embrace, not out of need, but out of sheer desire and longing.

It was a shame something so lovely couldn't last.

* * *

[Author's Note:] This is a short shot I wrote for FF user 'Dark Magical Sorcres' who requested that I write a story about the good doctor and Rachel trying to overcome his anxiety. As soon as I began writing, Duran Duran's Girl Panic came to mind, and thus the Fic was born.  
Very OOC for my tastes, but I like how it came out.

Naturally I hold no rights to the song 'Girl Panic' or anything Duran Duran related. Nor do I have any legal ties to Batman Begins or anything DC related.  
I hope you enjoyed it!

Miaiko-sama


End file.
